don’t make a move without you now. You write me in Cros, warning me not to return to Ellesus or the capital city. I disregard your advice, and no sooner do I set foot in Selbius than I’m snatched up in this secretive way and tossed in a dungeon. Your underlings didn’t even identify themselves or urge me to cooperate with my arrest. Simply fell on me and knocked me senseless.”
“And I will get to the bottom of their actions. Meanwhile, I can only tell you this order did not come from me.”
I realized while he spoke that he looked different. Not that much time had passed since we were last together, but he seemed to have aged during the space of it. The planes of his face were gaunter, more defined, and he was growing a light beard. His mouth was set in a hard line, and his shoulders stooped slightly, as if they carried a heavy burden these days. My gaze dropped to his injured arm, hanging limply at his side. Was it true that he could no longer use it?
I forced myself to stop staring and return to the conversation. “Do you think the person behind my arrest is the unknown enemy Martyn spoke of? Have you discovered this man’s identity yet?”
He was silent.
I prodded, “You warned me away, so you must have discovered some reason it would be unsafe for me to return.”
“Nothing definite,” he admitted. “I need more time to uncover the truth. And while I work to do that, I thought it would be best for you to remain in Cros.”
“Best?” I repeated. “Best for who?” My mind went back to the conversation I’d had with Hadrian. “Are you sure there isn’t some other reason you wanted to keep me far away from Selbius?”
He frowned. “Meaning?”
“Meaning no one has better cause than you to want to keep the Praetor and me apart,” I said.
Glancing toward the turnkey still waiting outside the cell, I lowered my voice. “Things are going very well for you these days as the ‘nephew’ of the Praetor. Maybe you’re afraid my influence could jeopardize your new position.”
Terrac looked confused. “Your influence? What influence could you possibly have with the Praetor?”
I drew his attention to the brooch pinned to my cloak. The oval disk was inlaid with copper and amber-colored stones and inscribed with the two-word motto of the house of Tarius, FIDELITY and SERVICE.
“While you wore this, the Praetor mistook you for someone you were not,” I reminded. “What do you think would happen to your favored status now if I corrected his long-standing false impression? If he learned you’re no more than an imposter? Maybe your fear of the truth coming out is why you initially tried to keep me away and why I’m locked away down here now.”
It was painful to make such charges aloud, but considering our history, my doubts made sense.
Terrac’s expression turned stony. “If what you accuse me of is true, I would be a fool to ever let you and the Praetor meet again.”
With that, he turned and left me without another word.
Heart sinking, I realized I had made my situation worse by confronting him. I waited to hear the clang of the door being slammed and locked. Waited for the torch to be taken away and my world to return to shadows.
Instead, the turnkey held the door wide and gestured for me to come out. Terrac was already striding off down the corridor, and the turnkey jerked his head for me to hurry and follow.
Amazed, I realized I was free.
Chapter Five
Eager to be out of the place, I hurried after Terrac down the narrow passage and past rows of other cells like mine. I saw no evidence of the prisoner who had cried out during the night. The corridor we traveled ended abruptly in a steep flight of stairs that carried us up to the next level. Here we paused to wait for the jailer to catch up and unlock the heavy door barring our way.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I stepped through that doorway and left the dungeon’s atmosphere of fear and hopelessness behind. We exited onto a
“And I will get to the bottom of their actions. Meanwhile, I can only tell you this order did not come from me.”
I realized while he spoke that he looked different. Not that much time had passed since we were last together, but he seemed to have aged during the space of it. The planes of his face were gaunter, more defined, and he was growing a light beard. His mouth was set in a hard line, and his shoulders stooped slightly, as if they carried a heavy burden these days. My gaze dropped to his injured arm, hanging limply at his side. Was it true that he could no longer use it?
I forced myself to stop staring and return to the conversation. “Do you think the person behind my arrest is the unknown enemy Martyn spoke of? Have you discovered this man’s identity yet?”
He was silent.
I prodded, “You warned me away, so you must have discovered some reason it would be unsafe for me to return.”
“Nothing definite,” he admitted. “I need more time to uncover the truth. And while I work to do that, I thought it would be best for you to remain in Cros.”
“Best?” I repeated. “Best for who?” My mind went back to the conversation I’d had with Hadrian. “Are you sure there isn’t some other reason you wanted to keep me far away from Selbius?”
He frowned. “Meaning?”
“Meaning no one has better cause than you to want to keep the Praetor and me apart,” I said.
Glancing toward the turnkey still waiting outside the cell, I lowered my voice. “Things are going very well for you these days as the ‘nephew’ of the Praetor. Maybe you’re afraid my influence could jeopardize your new position.”
Terrac looked confused. “Your influence? What influence could you possibly have with the Praetor?”
I drew his attention to the brooch pinned to my cloak. The oval disk was inlaid with copper and amber-colored stones and inscribed with the two-word motto of the house of Tarius, FIDELITY and SERVICE.
“While you wore this, the Praetor mistook you for someone you were not,” I reminded. “What do you think would happen to your favored status now if I corrected his long-standing false impression? If he learned you’re no more than an imposter? Maybe your fear of the truth coming out is why you initially tried to keep me away and why I’m locked away down here now.”
It was painful to make such charges aloud, but considering our history, my doubts made sense.
Terrac’s expression turned stony. “If what you accuse me of is true, I would be a fool to ever let you and the Praetor meet again.”
With that, he turned and left me without another word.
Heart sinking, I realized I had made my situation worse by confronting him. I waited to hear the clang of the door being slammed and locked. Waited for the torch to be taken away and my world to return to shadows.
Instead, the turnkey held the door wide and gestured for me to come out. Terrac was already striding off down the corridor, and the turnkey jerked his head for me to hurry and follow.
Amazed, I realized I was free.
Chapter Five
Eager to be out of the place, I hurried after Terrac down the narrow passage and past rows of other cells like mine. I saw no evidence of the prisoner who had cried out during the night. The corridor we traveled ended abruptly in a steep flight of stairs that carried us up to the next level. Here we paused to wait for the jailer to catch up and unlock the heavy door barring our way.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I stepped through that doorway and left the dungeon’s atmosphere of fear and hopelessness behind. We exited onto a
Similar Books
